Air screw, including a resonant pulse jet system



Oct. 7, 1952 w. l.. TENNEY :TAL 2,612,955

AIR SCREW, INCLUDING A RESONANT PULSE JET SYSTEM Y Filed MaICh 5, 1947 2 s lEETS-SHEET 2 af 6D Patented Oct. 7, 1952 JET SYSTEM William` L. Tenney, Crystal Bay, Minn., `and Charles B. Marks, Las Vegas, Nev.; said Marks assigner to said Tenney Application March 5, 1947, SerialNo. 732,620

: This invention relates to air screws, and more particularlyto `an air Ascrew or propeller which isu'self-powered Sto be driven b'y jet engines in# corpcrated within `the blades 'or hub of the air screw. In the conventional air screw, thepower for rotating it vis provided by a separate engine `and is communicated to theair screw by a conventionaldriveshaft. In the present invention the air screw is driven by engines of the jet type incorporated within the blade and the hub structure of `the air screw` itself, thus dispensing with any need for a separate engine. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedair screw having a self-containedfjet engine for rotatingsame. It is a further object ofthe invention to provide anairl screw of improvedconstruction having a selfcontained engine in the hub or rotating" shaft mounting of the air screw. `It isa further object of the invention to provide an improved variable pitch propeller driven by a self-contained jet engine located Within the propeller blades. l l Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent in the apparatus herein illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention `is illustrated with reference to thedrawings in which 4Figure 1 is a sectional View of one form of the invention, Figure l-a being the fragmentary tip portion ofthe propeller blade which it is understood fits along the line -a of Figure 1, inas-` much as asuiciently large sheet for the drawings is not available; l

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail partly in section and partly broken away showingr the valve plate of the j etV engine;

Figure 3 is a' front elevational View of an air screw` made in accordance with the present invention and `lis-illustrative of the type shown in Figure 1` or the type shown in Figure 4; and' Figure llfis aA second form of the invention showing variable pitch propellers and the manner in which the jet engine is incorporated therein.

.Throughout the drawings corresponding metals refer to the same parts.

Referring to the drawings,` particularly Figures l.3, the apparatus includes a motor frame generally'designated It) which may be a `portion of `anairplane fuselage, wing or tail structure or any suitable frame portion of either of these devices, or any frame on which the air screw is mounted. Inthe illustrated form the frame is tubular and is provided with an inturned end flange II. Within the tubular frame I Il there are mounted a plurality of ball-bearing assems claims. (c1. 17o-135.4)

blies I2 and I3 which are maintainedin .spaced relation by the sleeve I and'washer I4. Two or more taper pointed set screws IE provided with lock nuts I1 bear against the outer race `of bearing I2 thus forcing it into engagement with the sleeve I5, and the latter into engagement with the outer race of bearing I3 which, in turn, bears .against a washer `I4 seated against the `inner surface of the flange II, thus holding the bearings in fixed assembly. The inner races of the bearing serve rotatably to support a hollow shaft generally designated 20. The propeller blades are` illustrated generally at 22 and 23 and are xed to the outer end of the shaft'ZIlinany suitable mannernot illustrated. `Theblades may be formed witha collar portion 24, or `a separate collar may be provided at this point and fastened to the shaft. Alternatively, the portion 24 may be afiange on the shaft 20. Portion 24 serves as' a stop against which the inner race of bearing I3 is 'situated` it being held in this position by a sleeve 26 which is in turn held by the inner race of bearing I2 and thelatte'r heldv by another sleeve 2l which is fastened by means of the threaded collar'28. The threaded collar 23 is provided with a plurality of wrench apertures 'at 23 by means of which the collar maybe screwed off. When this is done the entire shaft portion 2U may be withdrawn from the bearing assembly.

The interior of the hollow shaft is an air and `fuel inlet for the jet engine hereinafter described, and'is provided with a Venturi section 3U leading into a plurality of individual passageways 32 which terminate as ports 34 in the valve surface 35 of the combustion chamber 36. Over the ports is situated a petal shapedzvalve generally `designated `3l having a plurality of indi vidual valve leaf lingers `38 which cover the individual ports. `These elements are best shown in Figure 2` wherein the portion between radii B and Cv shows the apertures 34 in valve plate 35; the portion between radii C: and D shows the manner in which the valve 31 has petals 38-38 overlying theports; andthe portion between radii D and B shows the overlying valve backstop which'partially covers the valve and port `support; an axial fuel inlet pipe-42which. extends into the Venturi` section 30. The pipe terminates and fuel inlet pipes 42 and 45, is anadaptation of the pulse jet engines shown in greater detail in application Serial No. 649,882 filed February 25, 1946, to which reference is here made. The

In operation a fuel line is connected to pipe 42 and starting air under pressure is connected to the pipe 45. A high tension electrical connection is then made to ring 25, preferably from an ordinary automotive vibratory spark coil capable of'providing a continuous spark. 'Ihe flow of starting air under pressure draws fuel from the orices 43 and the fuel-air mixture passes through the passages 32, lifts the individual valve petals construction of the jet engine per se forms no part of the present invention.

The front of the combustion chamber 36 is covered by a plate 46 which is held in place by a plurality of screws 48, and the entire hub section of the shaft and blades 22 and 23 is preferably covered by means of a nose piece 43 of streamline form. The nose piece 49 is either perforated or may be out with louvers to allow the entrance of cooling air against the combustion chamber. The air, when heated by contact with the combustion chamber, leaves via the space 58. The plate 46 is equipped with a starting igniter plug 41 which is connected through an insulated lead wire 59 to an insulated stud 68 which extends through the back wall of blade 23. The stud carries a spring brush 69 which bears against an insulated slip ring on frame tube I0. A high tension lead is connected to ring 25 which then communicates ignition voltage through brush B9, stud 68 and wire 59 to spark plug 41, regardless of whether thev propeller is stationary or spinning. This allows re-starting in flight.

From the combustion chamber 36 there extend jet tubes which are positioned so as to lie within the confines of the hollow propeller blades 22 and 23. Thus, jet tube 50 extends outwardly within the hollow propeller blade 22 and jet tube 5| extends outwardly within the hollow propeller blade 23. Near the base ofthe propeller blades, where the thickness is suflicently great, the jet tubes may be of circular cross section, but as the tube approaches the tip end of the blades where the blades are relatively thinner, thejet tube may be of somewhat flattened cross section so v as not to interfere with the desired air foil cross section of the propeller blade itself. As illustrated in Figures la and 3, adjacent the tips of the pro- ,peller blades the jet tubes are curved so that they emerge from the trailing edges 53 of blade 22 and 54 of blade 23 in a direction nearly tangential to the direction of rotation. At this portion also the jet tube is considerably flattened and has a longitudinal section as shown in Figure 1 and is even flattened more where the jet tube emerges from the trailing edge of the propeller blade. A compromise between best air foil and the necessity of maintaining thickness of the jet tube is made at the point of emergence of the jet tube from the trailing edge of the blade so as to provide adequate cross sectional area of the jet tube. We have found that greatest eiiiciency of a pulse jet engine is accomplished when the'cross sectional area of the jet tube is gradually increased.

towards the jet end of the tube, as illustrated with particularity in application Serial No. 661 280 filed April 11, 1946 which matured into Patent No. 2,587,100 on February 26, 1952, to which reference is here made, and therefore it is desirable somewhat to increase the cross sectional area of the jet tubes 5D and 5| toward their point of emergence from the propeller blades. l

.38 and the mixture thus enters the combustion chamber 36 where ignition takes place. The ensuing explosion forces the products of combustion out vthe jet tubes 5|] and 5| where the jet eiux, whichY emerges in the direction of arrows 56 and 51 (Figure 3), causes a reaction force upon the `propeller blades `tending to rotate them. 'Ihe combustion chamber and jet tubes are resonant in their action. That is to say, when fuel and air are introduced into the combustion chamber 36. ignition occurs exploding and driving the combustion gases out through the resonant jet tubes 50 and 5|. When the jet exhaust emanates from the-tips of the tubes, a negative pressure tends to develop in the combustion chamber behind the r outflowing exhaust and additional combustion air and fuel is drawn into the combustion chamber or chambers, and is again exploded and thefcycle repeated over and over again at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the resonant length of the tube and combustion chamber system. Thus, in some instances the frequency of resonant combustion in the combustion chamber and resonant exhaust tubes may be as high as 300 cycles per second for relatively short tubes and a lesser frequency corresponding to longer tubes. The ignition may be discontinued once combustion is initiated and the reaction of the jet engine is such that starting air at pipe may likewise be discontinued, for once the engine is started the explosions take place at highfrequency, Aeach, explosion serving to draw air through the venturi 30 which causes adequate fuel to be likewise drawn into the stream at the orices 43. The individual petals of the valve plate vibrate back and forth from their seating position to their position against the center surface of the valve backstop 39 at a high frequency, as determined by the volume of the combustion chamber and the length and other dimensions of the jet tubes. Once combustion has been initiated, it is therefore only necessary to provide fuel at pipe 42 and power will continue to be generated. The ignition and starting air are therefore disconnected as soon as combustion is started, the propeller is released and the reaction force of the jet tubes quickly drives the propeller blades 22 and 23 at a high rate in the direction of arrow 61. No warm-up period is required and the device is therefore ready to be used immediately. The resonant action of the combustion chamber and resonant jet tubes takes place, regardless of whether or not the air screw, in which the power unit is incorporated, happens to be rotating. This is of exceedingly great importance in air screws because it permits the air screw to be started from a stand-still without initially cranking Furthermore, if the air screw is turning idle but still not powered, power can be supplied by initiating the action of the resonant combustion chamber-jet tube system by introducing starting air and fuel into the combustion chamber and thereafter power is instantly applied at full rate and the air screw becomes powered and no longer idles.

If desired, an air inlet may be provided into in Figure l.

` fega'izyacc 5 the hollow; space. of the propeller blades around the jet tubes, as indicated at 60 and 6|, so asto permitfcooling air toxbe drawninto the interior of the propeller Vblades andover the exterior surface lof `the jet tubes. The jet tubes .may likewise preferably be extended slightly beyond the surface of the trailing edges 53 and 54 ofthe i blades, as `shown in Figure 3, and `apertures or an annular space left around the jettubeas indicated at03 andfd for tube 50 and 65 and'for propeller blades and,ii desired, the propellerblades may bexmade `rotatable through aleiven angle for varying the pitch thereof. In theV embodiment shown in Figure 4, the frame 1|0, bearings 2- and l t3 and their method of fastening to the propeller 'shaft andframe may lne/identical with that shown in Figure 1 and therefore need not `be further described. In this embodiment, however, the hollow propeller shaft l constitutes -an air 4passage and extends forwardly to a hub section generally designated which is provided with bearf ings '|2 and 'I3 upon which the propeller blades 14 and '15 are mounted forrotation throughout a limited angle for .varying the pitch of the blades.

'Thebearing' structure 12--18 and mechanism for varying the pitch of the propellers `may be of standard design and therefore need not be further described other than to `say that` the propeller blades, 14 and '15 may have their pitch angle Varied Y through the pitch changing mechanismnot illustrated, wherey variable pitch is desired. If desired, the bearings 1:2 and '|3 and the pitch` changing'mechanisin, not illustrated, may be eliminated and the propeller blades 14 and 'I5 may be fixedly mounted upon the hub after the manner shown portion of the propeller is provided with a decora- In thisembodiment also thehub tive `and streamlined nose piece '|6 which is peri forated or louvered to allow Ventilating` and cooling air to flow over the hot combustion chambers.

The base of each of the blades 14 and '|5 is identical and therefore only one need` be described. Venturi-shaped air inlet portion 18 `which blends into` a plurality of tubular passageways `Bl) which terminate in ports on the valving surface 8 I these ports being in turn covered by a valve `plate, 82 which is held in place byva valve backstop 83 and cap `screw B4, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this instance the fuel inlet tube 85 is screwed into the central portion B6 of the valve plate, since itis movable therewith when the propeller `pitch angle is made variable, and extendsV back through a flexible connection at ill to the Y-shaped pipe 88. Similarly, the starting air inlet line 89 extends through a flexibleconnection 80 to the concentric tube 9|. pipe 92 servingthe combustion chamber |00 of blade. 'I5 likewise extends back through the flexible connectionf tothe second tube of the .Y-shaped pipe80 and the starting air inlet tube S4 likewise extends back through the iiexible tube 95 and is connected to the concentric` tube 9|.v End Thus, blade 'i4 is provided.` with aV radial' "Pim-S V97 extending.. Ifrom the -interior :of

the-.shaft |0.rto.the axiallyl located` tube 9| Tube 818 being concentricvwithtube is likewise axially supported. concentric: rotatablev connectlonstto the. tubes..i83;.iand` 9 |z from;` their stationary `supply lines `Ireland |02; maybe made in any` convenient manner. As: illustrated, these 'connections' are in theffollowing form: u w i 17V l Within the. stationary iframe 0 thereis' asleew'e tthavng a plurality ofradi'al supports |04xand l'ii` The supports |04:serve .to `hold azcentral stationary cylindrical" box` |06` to whichA fuel i. supply lineffilll connects. The tube 88 isffprovided withragangeat |01 which is separated .bythe gland `washer Hi8, .from cnenof the walls. ofthe box |108, 1a. second gland washerlbeing provided atfi., end cap. nut, |.0 onwthetube v8.8 serves to put `a. slight pressure on'the washer lilwand thence through the boxv |06,1whichis capablezo! slightfdeilection, to. the washer wawhich rotates against thefiiange |01. One or more portsll IZiin the wall of: tube. 83serve .to` communicate their!- terion ofthe 4box `H33 to. the interior offthetube Y 88ua`s the, latter is rotated. i `.The `'radial supports `|015, .likewisev-supportwa hollow Abox 4 which.. isl similarly connected 'to the :tube 9| by means of the squeeze nut` H5 at the. end and gland washersnwhich `separate the nut andthe flange HE on theltube. '9| y'from the wallsofthe box. .Startingzairentering"line |02` therefore. enters thevbox and passes through ports ||`8 .and .into theminterior.of` thektubee- 91 and thence through 4the connections ||9andi|20= andthrough .the nexible connections 90/"and195 tothe-starting air blast tubes'891andu94'. l

V'eroms the combustion :chamber |28 :in propel-ler .14. there extends a. jeti tube; |2| (which extends,` outwardly. in the 4same :manner 'as rillustrated inFigure 3 .and terminates .in =a' jet exhaust port .in thewtrailing edgefuof. thefpropellerblade 14 :adjacent Lthe` end ofthe blade. Similarly', `from the,` combustion' .chamber |00 theiettube |22 extends outwardlyfthroughthe blade 5x: and likewise terminates in .the *jet :el:a haustport in .theVtrailing edge of bladefltadjacent thetipofthatblade. i i 1x j" `Itfmay vbe .pointed cutiin respect tol either ci .the modifications shown Figures r and4 14 that, `if desired, 1 the jet tubes .may extend Out.- wardly beyond the .itipsro therprcpellen. blades. themselves and vcurved i fto an :exhaust 'port 'in a trailing direction in'respect'to the blade.. `This is desirable in some instances soas to `provide The corresponding fuel inlet walls in the tube 9| serve centrally to locate e .the tube 88 and form a chamber between the tubes. The tube 9| is supported bytwo or more a maximum velocity at the exhaustatip `of a; n iet tubeior `best einciencyxof the jet. efflux.

lationship upon the rear edge of decorative nose piece 16. Each brush holder carriesa .brush which is spring pressed againsta slip ring A[3l which is4 mounted in insulated relationshipupon frame piece I0. An ignition circuit is connected to,v ring |32 andhence .through it the 'brushes andbrush holderstoplugs |25 and |26.A `Igni-j tion is thus provided at all times regardlessot whether the propeller is stationary or turning. The ignition wire. connections between brush holders |30|3| andplugs |25.--|26.do1 notwestrict pitch chang-ing .movement `of the blades.

The coolingairwhich entersy at plugopenings '|23Ll2'4 passes outwardly within' the blade andis exhausted adjacent the termination of the jet pipeY in the trailing edge of the blade.

Infoperatiom `ignition wires areconnected to the ring |32 and a fuel line isv then connected to pipe which vthus permits fuel to flow through the gland box and `then. tube 88 and thence through Vthe fuel inlettubes 81 and 92 tor-.the fuel vjets therein. Starting air under pressure Iis `then applied to the `pipe |02 which introduces the fuel mixture through the Venturi sections 'I9 and |21 and thence through the valve'mechanism of each jet engine into the combustion chambers |00 and |28 where combustion takes place, as previously described with reference to. Figure 1. Assoon Vas combustion is initiated, the ignition and the' starting air arer'discontinued and rotation ofthe propeller blades 14 and 15 begins. Where the blades 14 and 15. are fixedly mounted on the hub 10, the exible Yconnections 81, 9U, 93 and 95 may be eliminated; but where the blades 14 and 'l5 are rotatable slightly for varying the pitch, these connectionsare included so as to provide fuel feed to the' accurately positioned fuel inlet pipes 85 `and 92, regardless of the pitch angle to which the blades 14 and '15 may be adjusted.

For throttling, either of the units of Figures lor 4 may be provided with air and fuel valves so ast'o reduce the amount of" combustion mixture goingv into the combustion chamber or chambers. Likewise, for` suitable carburetion theV fuel supp1ynlines142 or |0| vmay be connected to a conventional bowl or to a pressure liney supplying fuel under slight but uniform pressure. In some instances the jet tubes may occupy the entire interior of the blade and form the blade itself, being shaped suitably in crosssectionfor propeller blade purposes. `"The invention is especially applicable to verticalr'or nearly vertical axis propellers used 1in helicopters; in which case the pitch changing mechanism, if used. (of yFigure 4) could be (optionally) of the cyclic. pitch change type such asis desirableinhelicopter vanes. i As`V many apparentlywidely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from theA spirit and scope thereof, it

is tobe understood that we do not limit ourselves-to: theV specific embodiments herein except as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

i l. Aself-powered rotary air screw capable of being poweredv while thel screw is static or ro tating comprising Va hub and hollow shaft assembly mounted for rotation, airfoil propeller bladesmounted on the shaft for rotation therewith,i and a resonant pulse jet system including combustion `chamber means in said hub and shaft assembly and having jet exhaust tubes internally of the propeller blades opening in substantially unrestricted relation directly into said vcombustion chamber and extending outwardly within vsaid blades forming with said combustion chamber integral parts of a system resonantl in gases, pressure responsive valve means-located adjacent and in direct pressure responsiverelation with said combustion chamber for periodic operationv under the action of and in timed relation with the resonant pulsating action of the gases in said system, and means for discharging the periodic pulse jets from said exhaust tubes and the blade contour adjacent the tips of said propeller blades to develop lthrust 'for effecting screw. '52. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the'combustion chamber means is axially of the hollow shaft and the jet tubes extend outwardly there-- from through the interior of the blades.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blades are mounted for axial rotation in respect tothe hollow shaft for varying the pitch of the blades, and means is provided on said hollow shaft for thus varying the pitch, said combustion chamber means comprising individual combustion chamber in each blade having an air and fuel inlet connection thereto through the hollow shaft.

' Ll. A self-powered rotary air screw` assembly capable of being powered while the air screw is static: or rotating comprising a hollow shaft and bearing means for rotatably mounting the same, a plurality of airfoil vpropeller blades extending outwardly from saidhub and rotatable therewith. said hollow shaft constituting an air inlet passage, a resonant pulse jet system including combustion chamber means adjacent the point of connection of the blades to said hub and having an air inlet passage from said hub, means for feeding fuel and air into said combustion chamber means, jet exhaust tubes internally of the propeller blades opening in substantially unrestricted relation directly into said combustion chamber and extending outwardly within said blades forming with said combustion chamber integral parts of a system resonantin gases, pressure responsive valve means located adjacent and in direct pressure responsive relation with said combustion chamber for periodic operation under the action of and in timed relation with the resonant pulsating action of the gases in said system, and means for discharging the periodic pulse jets from said ex'- haust tubes and the blade contour adjacent the tips of said propeller blades to develop thrust for eifecting rotation of said air screw.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further characterized in that the air passageway through the shaft is provided with a Venturi section and a fuel feedrotation of said air ing nozzle mounted on the frame and extending into said Venturi section.

6. A self-powered rotating air screw capable of being powered while the screw is static or rotating comprising a frame, a hollow shaft journalled on the frame, a plurality of air foil propeller blades mounted on the shaft and rotatable therewith, a resonant jet combustion chamber within the portion of each blade adjacent the hollow shaft, each combustion chamber having a resonant jet tube extending outwardly within the blade and terminating in a jet nozzle on the trailinged'ge ofthe blade adjacent the tip thereof, an air inlet passage in each blade communicating with the hollow shaft, a fuel feed jet in each passage rotatable with the shaft, and a rotatable connection from a fuel feed line onthe frame to the fuel feed jets in each air passage, Valve means operable directly in response to the resonant operation of said resonant jet means, and means including said valve means for introducing fuel and combustion air into said combustion chamber.

7 The apparatus of claim 6 further characterized in that the blades are rotatably mounted in respect to the shaft for varying the pitch thereof, and a iiexible fuel feeding connection is provided between the fuel feed jets in each air passage, and a fuel feed line in the rotating shaft.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further characterized in that each fuel jet is provided with an adjacent starting air pipe, all of ther said starting 9 1o air pipes being connected through a second rotat- Number Name Date able connection to a, stationary starting air line 2,371,687 Gerhardt Mar. 20, 1945 on the frame. 2,397,357 Kundig Mar. 26, 1946 WILLIAM L. TENNEY.

CHARLES B. MARKS. 5 FOREIGN PA s Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 227,151 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1925 366,450 Great Britain of 1930 mfrff :ftlllsmgaftgenrtferens are of record m the 1 386,908 Great Britain Jan. 26,' 1933 t 1 10 408,033 France. Jan. 14, 1910 UNITED STATES PATENTS 648,107 France Aug.7,1923 Number Name Date 1,099,083 Duc June 2, 1914 OTHER REFERENCES 1,133,660 Papin et a1' Man 3c,I 1915 Artlcle Wasted Talent, pp. 364-367 and 370 of 1,519,444 nales Dec. 1654924 15 "F1ght"0tbef5944 1,983,405 Schmidt Dec. 4;"1934 

